Eagle's Glory

The king seemed to have been looking forward to today's meeting for a long time. He had already called the court painter to his side. After the young couple came, he immediately asked the painter to meet Princess Teresa to prepare for the next portrait.

For the court painter, the king's order is a political task. For his own job, he must try his best to satisfy His Majesty the king, and he must never ignore it. Even the ugly girl must be painted as beautiful as a fairy—— Princess Teresa has an excellent appearance, and this time is in the time of youth and beauty, so he is also exempted from the trouble of too much modification.

Of course, even so, the painter still wanted to find the best composition and inspiration, so he asked Teresa to pose in various poses and expressions, either holding flowers or folding fans, in order to find the pose he found most attractive.

Although I feel very troublesome in my heart, since I have agreed to His Majesty the King, Teresa can only cooperate, and she has also learned painting herself and has a pretty good foundation, so she can communicate with the painter and study the next painting together. ——After all, the person in the painting is herself, and Teresa is not willing to lose her portrait to other collections of His Majesty the King.

And King Ludwig and Aigron naturally have no interest in watching it all the time. For them, being able to appreciate the finished product is enough.

So the two of them went to the next room and started their conversation.

After a day of laying the groundwork, King Ludwig and Eggron had already enjoyed themselves as the host and guest. They both left a good impression on each other. His Majesty the King felt that it was time to get down to business.

"Duke, I heard that you are the one who insisted on selecting a member from our family to be the king of Greece—" King Ludwig thanked Egron with a reserved attitude, "You love my family so much, It kind of flattered me."

"It's completely well deserved." Eggron complimented him, "As we all know, the Wittelsbach family has a long history and a large number of talented people. It is the most prestigious family in Germany, and it has a prosperous lineage. They are also related, and are most qualified to be the ruler of an independent country; and as a new kingdom, Greece should look for such a famous family to lead them, so that this country can wash away the previous dust and enter an independent country. A glorious new era."

What Aigron said by "inherited relatives" refers to the king's ancestor, Duke John II (1341-1397) of the Bavaria-Munich branch, and his mother, Princess Maria Arpad of Hungary, and this princess His maternal grandmother was Maria Lascaris, princess of the Eastern Roman Empire, a descendant of the Comnenos dynasty.

Although this relative is really far away, separated by four or five hundred years, genealogists can always find a suitable reason when they want to demonstrate "legality".

Although he knew that Eggron was deliberately flattering him, King Ludwig was still elated when he heard it, "You are really flattering... However, although our family has no intention of seeking a crown outside of Germany, there have been many disasters and disasters. The people of Greece, who are devastated, have expectations of our family and want us to heal the wounds of its history. We must not be ruthless and ignore the voice of the people. We must shoulder the obligation imposed on us by fate— —Only in this way can we be worthy of our ancestors and our family emblem."

Among the high-sounding and beautiful words, the two people reached a preliminary consensus, and the next stage is the question.

"Then, in your mind, which member of your family is most suitable for taking on this arduous task?" He asked half seriously and half sarcastically.

Ludwig I frowned slightly, pretending to be thinking, and then threw out the answer he had thought in his heart long ago, "My second son Otto, although he is only 13 years old, is smart and smart, and he has a good understanding of the Greeks." The ancient civilization is full of admiration, and he is very willing to sacrifice his life for the welfare of the Greek people... What do you think?"

Eggron was not surprised that King Ludwig I offered the crown to his second son Otto von Wittelsbach.

Because on the original historical line, after Greece became an independent country, after the coordination of the great powers, it was indeed this Prince Otto who officially became the king of Greece in 1832.

However, the ending was not so good.

The king's governance was mediocre, and he only trusted the ministers from Bavaria, excluding the original Greek powers, and in order to maintain the royal life, he extorted money from the people, resulting in collective dissatisfaction with the king from all walks of life in Greece.

Because of his fatuous rule, coupled with his refusal to convert to the Orthodox Church, he had no heirs, and his younger brothers were unwilling to convert to the Orthodox Church in order to inherit the throne, which became the focus of domestic anger, and finally, in 1862, that is, After he ruled Greece for 30 years, the revolution in Athens drove him out of Greece and ended the Wittelsbach family's rule in the Kingdom of Greece.

Next, Otto became an exile, he never gave up his claim to the Greek throne, but the Greeks found another king - from Oldenburg-Schleswig-Holstein Because George I of the Duke's family no longer needed him, he never set foot on the land of Greece in his life.

Aigron knows everything that has happened in history, but now the historical line has been changed because of him. He is confident to prevent the erroneous progress and try to make the pattern he created continue smoothly.

Besides, even if the historical line has not changed at all, he doesn't need to worry about what will happen 30 years later, when everything may have changed beyond recognition.

Aigron also pretended to think seriously.

"13 years old is too young...?" He deliberately questioned.

"But you are only 17 years old now, and you are already famous all over the world—" the king refuted him with a smile, "If you want to achieve a great career, age is the least important issue, isn't it?"

This anti-general made Aigron a little bit embarrassed, after all, he is the last person in the world who cannot deny that "heroes are born in youth".

However, Egron did not show any embarrassment on the surface, "I understand your thoughts, and I also believe in your vision. Since you think Prince Otto is very suitable, then I am also willing to trust your judgment. It's just that Greece just To get rid of the brutal rule of Turkey, its people have experienced too much trauma and pain, and it needs a time of stability and peace too much, so the burden on the king will be very heavy. I think it is difficult to be pure on the immature shoulders of a prince bear the burden."

The king's smile froze a bit, he wasn't sure whether Aigron was asking for the price on purpose or had other plans.

"Then what would you suggest?"

"I suggest forming a Regency Committee, including Bavarians and Greeks. The specific number can be negotiated in detail. They will take charge of the government before the prince reaches adulthood and be responsible for the education and training of His Royal Highness. I think this is the most secure."

Aegron believes that the biggest failure of King Otto in history is to isolate the native Greek elite from himself. In order to change this, he decided to let the native Greek elite leave a place at the beginning-so that they would have the enthusiasm to defend the king. .

"That's not a problem." King Ludwig was relieved to see that Aegron did not object to his second son becoming the king of Greece, and he didn't have much meaning for this condition.

"In addition, I suggest that the prince should convert to the Orthodox Church—this will best appease the feelings of the Greeks, after all, they are all Orthodox Christians." Aigron continued.

"Well..." The king showed a slight embarrassment.

The Wittelsbach family has always claimed to be loyal believers in Catholicism, and he was afraid of shocking the public if he asked the prince to openly convert to Orthodoxy.

"Henry IV of France, before inheriting the throne, faced the request of the French Catholic Church to convert to Catholicism. He agreed without hesitation. He said that it is worthwhile to hold a mass for Paris—" Aigron reminded the king , "Your Majesty, I am here to commemorate the sages and remind you that it is worth doing a mass for a crown. After all, it is just a formality. Power is the essence. Who cares what he believes in private? "

Aigron's words made the king no longer hesitate.

Yes, what is a mere conversion compared to a kingdom?Besides, he is only a young son who converted, and the Wittelsbach family is still a loyal Catholic.

"If you think it's best to do so, then I agree with you, after all, you know the situation over there better." So he simply nodded.

Seeing the king being so talkative, Aigron also breathed a sigh of relief.

There is only so much he can do. If Prince Otto is still unable to support the wall with the mud like in history, then let him ask for good luck. Anyway, he is not his son, so he doesn't bother to care so much.

In this way, in a short period of time, the two of them decided the major destiny of a country, and Aigron and King Ludwig had a good talk, and both were quite satisfied with the current result.

"My brother, you have really helped us a lot—" King Ludwig stretched out his hand to Eggron with emotion, "Don't worry, our Wittelsbach family will never Those who forgot about this kindness—"

"I have a good impression of your family, and for this reason, I should give some convenience where I can." Aegron replied with a smile, "Anyway, I can't wear the Greek crown now, so give it to me The one that is the most pleasing to the eye is also very good."

"Hahahaha..." the king laughed loudly, "You are so bold!"

After a pause, he changed the topic, "It seems that my younger sister should have left a good impression on you."

Although the king's tone was very flat, Egron's heart suddenly tightened.

"Yes, Your Majesty." He tried to make himself calm, "It was Her Highness Sophie who gave me comfort and love when I was in the most difficult time, and gave me the motivation to continue to work hard... I am forever grateful for this kindness. Giving your family a crown is just a small reward for my kindness."

"It's really touching and sincere. It's rare for people like us. I think the two of you must get along so well that you will be so grateful." His Majesty the King nodded, as if admiring Aigron , "It's a pity, it may be difficult for you to see her again now..."

"I think so, but fate is always unpredictable, who can say for sure?" Eggron replied.

"That's right." His Majesty the King smiled, "And while fate closes a door, it may not refuse to open another window for you. What you have now is enough to be proud of."

After finishing speaking, he turned his gaze to look at the pendulum clock next to him.

Of course Aegron understood the king's hint - as the king, he must be a busy man, it is impossible to keep all the time on his side, and there are still many important things to deal with.

Now that the two of them had reached an initial tacit understanding, there was no need to tangle with minor issues in the future - their secretary would naturally handle the minutiae.

"I think I should take a break, I don't know what's going on with Teresa." He casually prepared to leave.

"Her Royal Highness Princess Teresa should be busy for a while, why don't you and your entourage take a stroll in our beautiful garden first? I promise you will not be disappointed, now is the most beautiful time for it. "The king suggested casually.

Eggron could think about it, so he bid farewell to the king.

Then, he took a walk in the garden of Nymphenburg Palace with his secretary, captain of the guard and others. Because he was notified by the king, the attendants did not bother them anymore. beautiful view.

While admiring the scenery, he was thinking about the problems he had to deal with now, and casually dictated to his secretary Leon Esposito.

Looking around, all kinds of flowers in the garden are slowly blooming or just about to bloom, and those roses of various colors are showing their beauty shyly.

While dictating, Aigron felt a little tired mentally.

Suddenly, he stopped.

He clearly saw that among the flowers, there was a beautiful woman looking at him quietly, and after noticing his gaze, as if to hide her shame, she picked up a folding fan and covered the lower half of her face, only Look at yourself with your eyes.

Such a familiar face, such a familiar movement...

"Your Majesty...?" Leon Esposito saw that Aigron was suddenly stuck, so he asked cautiously, "What's wrong with you?"

"Is there a woman over there—?" He received a reply that horrified him.

Although he was very puzzled, Leon could only look at Aigron's line of sight, and then he found that there was indeed a woman wearing a skirt and holding a folding fan. Although she couldn't see her face clearly, judging from her figure, Should be a young girl.

"Yes, Your Majesty, there is a woman." So, he answered the young man honestly.

"Okay, that means I'm not mistaken."

And at this moment, as if feeling Leon's gaze, the woman suddenly put away her folding fan, then turned around, and then disappeared among the rose bushes.

"Damn..." Eggron cursed in a low voice, "Could it be a flower fairy? Will disappear if someone sees it? Fuck you...!"

"Your Majesty...?" Leon Esposito became more and more puzzled. He had been working with this young man for several months, but he had never seen His Majesty lose his composure.

Maybe the woman opposite is indeed a beautiful woman, but... as for?

He knows that his master is not the kind of ascetic monk who is not close to women, but this majesty should not be able to move his legs when he sees a beauty-not to mention, his wife and the maids around him are all beautiful Well, logically speaking, His Majesty shouldn't be so gaffe.

But today to hell, His Majesty lost his composure.

Aigron didn't know what Leon was thinking, he subconsciously moved his steps, and then walked towards the place where the woman had just disappeared.

"Your Majesty!" Leon was shocked and pulled him back in a hurry, "Don't forget that we are now in the Bavarian palace, you shouldn't be rude—"

Aegron looked back at him, this look was so piercing that Leon suddenly let go of his hand in fright.

But he still did not forget to advise his lord, "As a distinguished guest, it doesn't matter if you are a little bit out of line here, even if you are a lady, you don't have to care, but what if that woman is a royal princess? If there is any dispute, you will be in trouble, and this is also against your original intention of coming here."

"I wish she was a princess!" Aggron murmured.

Before Leon could react, he said to Leon again, "Stop talking, I have my own plan."

Then, he passed Leon and looked at his captain of the guard, André Davout.

"Andre, are you as brave as ever?"

Andre was a little baffled by this question, but he still answered with a straight chest, "Yes, Your Majesty, I will go through fire and water for you at any time."

"Well, you stay here for half an hour... No, within an hour, don't let anyone come and disturb me, no one, understand?" Eggron gave the order firmly.

Then he took a step towards the direction just now, and he thought of something on the way, and he turned around and told the two of them, "By the way, don't tell Teresa a word!"

Soon, the figure of the young man also disappeared, leaving only a few young men looking at each other in the garden.　　

20, the shadow of a beautiful woman

"By the way, don't tell Teresa a word!"

These words are still in my ears, but the young man has disappeared without a trace.

Leon Esposito only felt that his brain was hurting. As the chosen successor of the family, he had received a very strict education since he was a child, but he found that he could not find any examples in his mind to act as his own. Reference now.

Since following His Majesty's side, he has been carefully observing this young man, and he has admired him very much in his heart. In his opinion, His Majesty, despite his young age, is extremely witty, quick and clear in thinking, and can be extremely intelligent. Quickly make a decision; what's more commendable is that he basically doesn't have the rashness and roughness common to young people. On the contrary, he has a deep mind and can show his emotions and anger. In Leon's view, this is the potential of a wise gentleman.

It was precisely because he began to admire His Majesty in his heart that he would calm down and serve His Majesty seriously.

Until that moment just now, His Majesty today perfectly displayed his usual image—he communicated and negotiated with the King of Bavaria calmly, advanced and retreated freely, neither humble nor overbearing, and he had already completed the original goal without making a fuss.

However, His Majesty at that moment just now, after all, still showed the appearance of a young man - impulsive, excited, forgetful, and even desperate.

This is by no means normal.

While hesitating, he turned his head to look at Andre Davout beside him. "Has there ever been a time like this before, Your Majesty?"

André Davout was also a little out of his mind at the moment, and he shook his head immediately.

"No...never, His Majesty has never lost his composure in front of me, not even when facing Miss Agnes."

"Miss Agnes?" Leon asked in surprise, "Who is it?"

He had only been working at Aegron's side for a few months, so he didn't have the chance to see Agnes' beauty.

"It's nothing, it's just a lady. It has nothing to do with our affairs today." André Davout realized that he had lost his composure, so he immediately made up for it.

Leon could only stop asking, and remembered the name in his heart.

"Then what happened to your Majesty today?" He asked again.

"I don't know... I don't know at all." André Davout shook his head heavily, "It's as if His Majesty is a different person today. My God, he actually gets so carried away."

Seeing that Andre thought the same way, Leon felt even more strange.

"So what do we do now?" he asked again.

"What else can I do?" Andre Davout spread his hands with a wry smile, "Your Majesty just ordered me to stay here and not let anyone disturb him, so I can only do so, this is my bounden duty."

Leon's brain throbbed again, it seemed that the other party had chosen to give up thinking.

That's right, for the captain of the guard, loyalty is stronger than anything else.

"Then let's do this, we'll wait here and stop anyone approaching, and if there's no movement in an hour, we'll go over and look for His Majesty—" He sighed, and then expressed his opinion, "I I only ask God to bless you, your Majesty must not bump into a royal princess..."

Leon felt that His Majesty is now in favor of the Kingdom of Bavaria, so as a distinguished guest, even if something happens to His Majesty, the royal family will still be able to take care of it, as long as they are not members of the royal family.

If he is a member of the royal family and causes any disputes, it will be troublesome, and the image that His Majesty has built up with great difficulty will be greatly reduced.

"Hey, if that's the case, there's nothing we can do..." Andre also sighed, "We wish Your Majesty all the best."

Then, the two stopped talking, and looked worriedly at the place where the young man disappeared.

At this time, Aigron certainly didn't know how his two subordinates were commenting on him. He had already forgotten all his thoughts, and only the beautiful figure that disappeared in front of him was left.

He was 100% sure that it was Sophie.

And after confirming by her secretary, she was not dazzled, so Sophie stood there, gesticulating to herself, waiting for her to return to her.

Ever since he came to Bavaria, even though he had never been to this country before in his life, he couldn't help but think about the details of his time with Sophie.